Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-04-08
HEK TO LIE LINE

As the aggressors in bringing on the
prohibition contest, the gentlemen favor-
ing the measure proposed met at Waco
and issued proclamation of war. 1t
was document that bespoke the wisdom
of its authors-it eliminated everything
from the struggle that had made prohibit
ton offensive to that third great party
which decides all questions. 1t has beer
generally agreed that this canvass SHALL
be conducted on the merits Of TIE i'm
portant question involved in =, and the
men whose votes and influence are to
turn the scale Of victory ask for algu-
ment and reason apG Information, to the
end that they MAJ vote intelligently; and
these are the,men who will resent the in
trodnctj5n of religion, sentimentality,
prejudice, political trickery and mis-
Representations and falsehoods into
the discussion. TIE GAZETTE
has warned the ProhibitiOnists
against tain dangers to their cause,
and it now warns the i-Prohibitionists
against the danger of efforts to perVert
the significance of this canvass. ThE GA
ZETTE ventures the opinion that from %
to 80 per cent. Of the Intelligent, infuen-
tial voters in the state cannot say to-day
how their bal OTIS will be cast in August.
The issue has been presented to them N
q manner unexpected, because of the
manner in which it has heretofore been
presented to them in the state. They
have the authority Of the Democratic
platform for the fact that the issue is
non partisan. They are now absolutely
free to vote for or against the PROPOSE
ton, as it best for Texas that iatoxi-
eating liquors shall be manufactured and
sold in the state, or not" And it is to this
proposition that the parties to the contest
must address themselves, or incur the
risk of disgusting and repelling the vote
that is to decide the election. THE GA
zETTE is impelled to these reflections by
reading the following letter sent it from
Waco:
waco, TEX, April 2.-1here is general mer
II hent here over On Austin dispatch in the
Dallas News Yesterday, setting forth the ap-
prehensiOns of the an pTohi ,iliOn "True
Blues" that the Prohlbitiopists aspire to shelve
Senator Coke in 'S9 and put Rev. DR. Carroll In
his place, or to e'ec. a Methodist or any other
preacher governor of the st tie Such theory
will not find Endorsement he'e, by f4ir-mlnded
men on either side of the question, and only
evOkes laughter. PrOhibitionists point to the
fact that several gentlemen of this city who are
we'll known a infdels or skepgCs are actively
enlisted in the prohibition work. There is a
growing intensity of feeling In this city over
the issue, but yet very little or no bitterness
has been developed on either side, ano It is not
probable the common sense of the community
will sanction a resort 10 bitter tactics.
Just as the undetermined vote would
have resented ana rallied to oppose re-
ligious crusade, or an anti-Democratic
canvass, just so will they resent and op-
pose such tactics as those described
There are thousands of good men in
Texas who are seriously debating this
question, and they are in no humor for
any nonsense or triCkery in connection
with it. The ProhibitiOnists must show
the right to prohibit and the benefit of its
exercise, and the Observation-Disclosures
must show the absence of the right to
prohibit and the evil of its exercise, if the
right exists. This is the plane upon
which this canvass must be conducted if
the party that deviates therefrom would
not aid it's oppopent to victory by repell-
ing earnest seekers after the rights.